Produced by Steed Hale / Written by Jonna Gallo Weppler
Linda Dubilier has deep roots in Woodstock. She and her husband Bill own a successful business, Woodstock Spa, and happily raised their daughter and son, now 21 and 18, nearby. “Our house was so sweet, it felt magical,” Dubilier recalls. “We just grew out of it.” So when a friend told them about a place up for sale, they were intrigued. “The property was perfect, with the most incredible view of the valley,” she says. Another plus: It was closer to town. But renovating the existing structure would have been difficult at best. Razing and rebuilding were financially smarter decisions. That’s when architect Mitchell Owen, founder of MOD Group in Shady, entered the picture. He came highly recommended, and Dubilier admired his ability to create cozy environments within distinctively modern spaces. “I knew that Mitch would design a home for us that would let me showcase so much of what I’ve collected during our years in the Hudson Valley.”
Layering textures, patterns, and collected items is the way to make a large space feel cozier.
They closed in the fall of 2019 and broke ground in January 2020. Pandemic-related price spikes and supply chain issues slowed construction, but the house was finished by summer 2021. “I purposely kept the walls and furniture very neutral, so my art and collectibles would be the main focus,” Dubilier says. In the living area, a sizable vintage storage piece bought locally via Instagram complements a framed masterpiece with concentric circles by British artist Marek Tobolewski. “It was the first piece of art I ever bought,” Dubilier offers. “I just fell in love with it.
The large, crowd-friendly kitchen—designed and constructed by high-end specialty firm Henrybuilt— has proven perfect for a couple that loves to entertain, often inviting friends for homemade pizza. Last October they hosted a ticketed fundraiser for the Woodstock Film Festival, with a pro chef doing all the cooking. “It’s definitely a cook’s kitchen,” Dubilier says. She had to choose the stone countertop online due to Covid restrictions, but a recommendation for ABC Stone in New York City panned out beautifully. The glass bar cabinet was originally gifted to Dubilier’s mother, shipped over from Italy in the 1960s; the art above is by local artist Jason Middlebrook. Three pendants from Hudson Valley Lighting Group bathe the space in a welcoming glow.
The primary bedroom, another of Dubilier’s favorite spaces, was designed specifically to highlight a cherished bedroom set snagged years ago at auction. She shot the moody photos above the bed as a photography student at the Fashion Institute of Technology, on one of her many Metro-North trips upstate to see her parents. “There is so much beauty in the Hudson Valley,” she says. “So many reasons why photographers and artists love it here.”
Rustic touches can go a long way toward softening otherwise spare, modern design. Case in point: reclaimed wood siding on the back wall of this mudroom.
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